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Nigeria’s Parks, Tourist Are Operational- Conservator General

Published

4 years ago

May 5, 2021

…As Park Service collaborating With Sister Agencies to Ensures safety

Editor

The Conservator General of the National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Goni has revealed that all Nigeria’s parks are operational against report AIT fake news that bandits have taken over part of the Gashaka Gumti National Park.

It will be recalled that that AIT attributed the quote to Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku but the video used by the same station showed otherwise.

He expressed that Park service is seriously working with sister agencies to ensure safety of the parks and their tourists.

Goni said this during a video conference to correct the false and misleading news report by the Africa Independent Television (AIT) that bandits have taken over part of the Gashaka Gumti National Park.

According to him, right now, we have our partners and tourists at our various parks across the country, and to the best of our knowledge, no part of the park has been declared a hide-out for bandits by the security operatives.

“We carefully listened to the governor’s sound bite and quote here exactly what the governor said below:

“You can’t go to tourism places when you are not sure of your life, you can’t go to tourism when you are afraid of kidnapping. You can’t go to any tourist site when the insecurity is alarmingly high’.

“One, therefore, wonders what part of the speech translated to bandits taking over the park, or any part thereof. We wish to let the public know that the said report is entirely false”.

He, therefore, assured the public that the service is working assiduously with security agencies to professionally keep the parks safe for tourists.

“At the Service, our doors are always open for enquires and even suggestions that will help us deliver world class tourist attractions.

“So what the reporter could have done was to get in touch and get clarifications and does a proper fact check before misleading the public.

“We wish to categorically state that Gashaka Gumti National Park or any part thereof has NOT been taken over by bandits or any other clandestine group or groups.

Mr Kabir Mohammed, Conservator of Park, Gashaka Gumti National Park said that the management has remained committed to achieving her mandate as enshrined in Act 46 Cap 65 LFN 2010 as amended.

“The Park is the largest, most scenic and diverse conservation enclave in Nigeria and reputed to be a safe haven to some highly endangered species of wildlife.

“Like any other conservation enclave across the globe, we are faced with some anthropogenic challenges that sometimes impact negatively on her desired development.

“Nonetheless, the management has continued to strive very hard to maintain the integrity of the park through its numerous strategies and operations’’.

He said some of the strategies deployed include collaboration with the Nigeria Army, Police, DSS and even the vigilante groups to stem the tide of growing security threats around the Park and adjoining communities.

“This is often carried out through intelligence gathering and sharing as well as embarking on regular joint operations with personnel of these agencies with the aim to nip in the bud any suspected criminal activities.

“We also recognize the important role the traditional institution and locals play in the overall protection of park resources and security of lives and property.

“We have been engaging critical stakeholders through Participatory Management Approach on a platform otherwise referred to as Local Advisory Committee.

“I wish to state unequivocally that normal conservation and tourism activities have continued in the Park unhindered”.

Mohammed added the management has been making concerted efforts toward ensuring continued stability of the Park through routine monitoring and anti-poaching operations.

“Between January and April, 2021, a total of 183 suspects have been arrested and prosecuted for various park offences ranging from illegal grazing, poaching, wildlife trafficking, illegal mining to illegal entry, logging, amongst others.

“It is, therefore, worthy of mention that the Management of Gashaka Gumti National Park is fully aware of the security situation of the areas within its legal jurisdiction and as such, has been closing ranks with other relevant stakeholders to curb the daunting challenges associated with her operations.

“I would like to use this medium to allay the fears of the public and emphasize that no criminal elements have invaded and taken over any part of the Park as has been insinuated.

“The Park is secure, safe and open for all forms of legitimate activities in line with the functions of the Park.

On his own, the Executive Director of African Nature Investment (ANI) Foundation, Mr Tunde Morakinyo, one of the NGOs partnering the Service domiciled at the Gashaka Gumti Park said the foundation has signed a 30-year agreement with the Nigerian National Park Service for financial and technical support.

“We have been working at the Gashaka Gumti National Park for the past three and a half years and in the last 12 months, we have trained and equipped 43 Rangers, including supplying them with raffles and ammunition.

“We are in the process of training and equipping another 25 Rangers right now and we still plan to train and equip another 40 later this year”.

According to him, `by the end of this year we should have more than 100 well equipped Rangers deployed across the park to complement the anti-poaching activities being carried out.

“We have rehabilitated quite a lot of parking structures including internal Park Road, Ranger Barracks, bought additional Park vehicles to augment the vehicle Fleet and installed a state-of-the-art communications system.

“We have commenced engagement with Communities right across the Park and recently mobilized a team of 37 researchers to carry out extensive survey and engagement with communities within and outside the park, meeting with men, women, community leaders and elders.

“We successfully completed the research work and everyone went in and came back in safety, with some really fantastic experiences in terms of the way we related to the communities.

“So I think you know certainly from ANI Foundation we can categorically state that we carried out the survey and activities extensively right across the park and came out safe’’.

Mr Usman Umar, a research assistant from the Centre for Micro Enterprise Development (CMD) said that they recently finished their two weeks research survey without any security challenges.

“We have been conducting our survey without any harm from bandits or poachers and we went to all the nooks and crannies of Gashaka Gumti National Park, even close to the Cameroon border, to Gumchi in Adamawa State without coming under any threat or harm.”

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Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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